 One 2 One Speed Dating Tips
Speed Dating is most definitely a great and easy way of meeting available people in your area, but we understand that the reality of facing new people and having to keep a conversation going for up to 5 minutes can seem a little daunting to some. So, for those of you who would like some guidance, here are a few tips to help you get the most from your evening.
Dressing Right
Look presentable and tidy. You need to appeal to as many of the 5 senses as possible so make sure you smell great too!
Dress for your body type, remembering to show off your assets. For example you could wear a skirt if you’ve got fantastic legs. Whatever your best feature is, flaunt it to your advantage but don’t dress too revealingly. You want to attract the right kind of attention.
Wear clothes you feel comfortable in. You need to make things as enjoyable as possible for yourself, and having painful feet or a tight belt squeezing your waist won’t contribute positively to your speed dating experience.
When choosing your outfit for the event always bear in mind that your potential matches may feel that first spark of interest from how you’re dressed. Express your personality through your hairstyle and accessories as well as clothes.
 What to talk about during your mini-dates
Making sure you arrive at the event well-prepared will help you feel relaxed and confident, so it is a good idea to draw up a list of questions beforehand. This will ensure that your conversation is always interesting and spontaneous. Five minutes may not seem a long time, but there’s nothing worse than drying up!
Having made your list, study it, give it a quick glance before leaving home on the night and then make sure you’re not spotted reading it at any time during the event!
Be prepared to open up to your dates and to put aside any shyness. You only have a short space of time to make an impression and allow your personality to shine through.
One of the reasons participants attend speed dating nights is to assess their compatibility with potential matches, so keep this in mind whilst drawing up your list of questions. You can learn a lot about a person by finding out what their hobbies are; what they do for a living; whether they enjoy their job etc. And, as in any conversation it’s very important that you listen as well as talk.
The nature of speed dating means that you have a great opportunity to stand out and make an impression. All you need to do is to be original in what you ask, and don’t be afraid to let your sense of humour come through.
Topics of conversation can range from the superficial to the more serious, but try to maintain a balance and keep it fun.
If you feel a particular date is not going as you had hoped, remember that it’ll be over before you know it. So don’t panic.
Speed dating is a great night out, so remember to be flexible and use your list only as a guide. This will allow the conversation to flow naturally and ensure your evening is a memorable one.
 Making the evening a success
• First and foremost, relax. Research has shown that over-anxiety in potential partners is the third biggest turn off for women and the fifth for men.
• Trust your gut. Natural chemistry is important. If you find yourself drawn to the person, then there’s a solid foundation to build on.
• Use your flirting techniques if you’re interested. Eye contact, the occasional friendly touch and using the date’s name often are useful tips.
• Avoid telling lies as you’ll probably be caught out further down the line.
• Keep an eye on how much you drink during the evening – you don’t want to end up drunk! Imagine what an impression you’d be making!
• Remember to fill out your Matchcard after each rotation. It’s important that you also make notes to remind yourself later on of your impressions of each date.
• Speed dating is a fantastic way of meeting available people, but it may be unrealistic to expect a string of dates on the back of just one evening.
• Be brave and if you feel you messed up on a particular date approach them during the breaks and ‘after dating’ time to try again. These socializing times are an integral part of speed dating so make the most of them.
• And finally, don’t be tempted to give your personal contact details on the evening. It might seem like the most natural thing in the world at the time but e-mail contact is safer and more fun to start with.
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